Static discharge device



p 1951 M. E. MILLER 2,569,249

STATIC DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed NOV. 1'7, 1949 lhzrenior:

- Patented Sept. 25, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STATIC DISCHARGEDEVICE Monroe E. Miller, Washington, D. 0.

Application November 17, 1949, Serial No. 127,945

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the action of static and kinetic electricityand aims to provide a novel device for obtaining or controlling staticdischarges so as to be useful for various purposes, such as for enablingstatic charges to be broken up into numerous small charges for aprolonged discharge thereof as current of less voltage than a suddendischarge of the initial energy would produce, for enabling a current oflow voltage to flow in a circuit subject to a high voltage, forreplacing a resistance without producing heat like in the resistance, orfor obtaining a modified form of radiant energy in place of the radiantenergy produced by a sudden discharge.

Another object is the provision of a device of the character indicatedwhich is simple in construction and which will have a long life.

In the drawing the figure is a median section of one form of theinvention.

The device comprises an envelope 24, of glass or other insulatingmaterial which, as shown, is an arched tube so in the operative positionof the envelope it has its end portions extending downwardly therebyproviding pockets. Electrodes 25 and 26 in said pockets are supported bythe respective wires or terminals 21 and 28 which are fused through theends of the tube so the electrodes can be connected in an electriccircuit. The tube is partially filled with gas carbon, lamp black orequivalent powder which conducts electric energy. This powder in eachpocket receives a static charge given to the electrode therein and thepowder is sufiiciently fine so as to be capable of being repelled ashereinafter described.

The tube or envelope should be of transparent material if all colors ofthe spectrum are to be radiated from within the tube but the tube can betranslucent for less than all colors. Although gas carbon or lamp blackwill serve the purpose for a powder, a powdered metal or otherconductive substance can be used, and a suflicient quantity is providedin an envelope of appropriate size in order to accomplish the resultsdescribed hereinafter. The size and form of the tube and the depth ofthe powder above the electrodes depends on the use to which the deviceis put. For some purposes the tube is evacuated so the powder is activein a vacuous space between the electrodes, but for other purposes thetube contains an inactive conductive gas orany other suitable gas underany desirable pressure.

In using the device for producing radiant energy, one electrode ischarged with positive electrical energy by means of a dynamo, staticmachine, electrophosphorous, or other source, while the other electrodeis charged with negative electrical energy from a complementary source.The charges given to the electrodes will pass through the powder aboutthem so as to charge the particles at the surfaces of the massesthereof. The particles at the upper surfaces are free to rise in andfrom the pockets and to move to the intermediate portion of the tube.This lofting of such free particles in each pocket will occur on accountof their mutual repulsion and the continued charging eiiect from theelectrode as particles are repelled. The particles at the upper surfacesof the masses are ionized, and become anions in one pocket and cationsin the other pocket. These particles in being ionized tend to crowd eachother with a buckling effect so as to loosen and repel some of them, asthe charging is continued. The oppositely-ionized particles when loftedare attracted toward each other at the intermediate raised portion ofthe tube, and as they meet they neutralize their charges, electronspassing from the anions to the cations. This causes an agitation asdischarges of particles occur, and useful radiant energy is thusproduced, the wave length or lengths of which will depend on variousfactors involved. Light will be emitted if waves of the proper lengthare created by the agitation. The radiation is useful according to itswave lengths. When discharged particles drop down, they gravitate inopposite directions from the intermediate portion of the tube into thepockets, due to the formation of said portion of the tube. Dischargedparticles may be struck by charged particles as they pass each other orstart to do so, which will extend the agitation toward and even into thepockets. The degree of agitation varies with the amount of charges givento the electrodes.

This device can be used in lieu of resistance elements in that the gapbetween the electrodes stops the passage of current excepting for suchflow as is provided by the movement of the charged particles from theelectrodes for contact between them as the electrons are conveyed withlittle or no resistance to their transfer. A number of the devices maybe connected in multiple with the same result in each since high voltageenergy in the circuit of the parallel devices cannot negotiate the gapin any of them without the aid of the particles of powder as they act asconveyors. A supply of high voltage can keep a number of the devicessupplied with suflicient energy to keep the powders in some or all ofthem moving in the same manner for a reduced voltage. In this respectthe devices are quite different from resistances connected in parallel.Instead of the electrons generating heat in having to move pastparticles 0! a resistance medium which are as obstacles, the electronsare carried by particles which move freely though slower than freeelectrons from the cathode to the anode. The particles are burdens forthe electrons as they negotiate the gap between the electrodes but thisprovides a retarded discharge of lower voltage than the voltage of theinitiating charge and the particles as carriers of electrons are neededin order to obtain the passage of those smaller particles of energy. Thestatic charges given to the electrodes are broken up into numerous smallcharges by the particles of powder, thus making a more prolongeddischarge as current of less voltage than a sudden discharge of theinitial energy would produce.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising an envelope, twoelectrodes therein, and

conductive powder in and only partially filling said envelope, saidenvelope being 01 such form that the powder in the operative position orthe envelope gravitates in opposite directions to and in contact withthe electrodes from a point between them, and said powder beingsufllciently fine so as to be repelled from the electrodes by electricalcharges received therefrom.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the envelope is a tube havingits end portions extending downwardly and containing the electrodes andhaving its intermediate portion of the form set forth.

MONROE E. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile 0!this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

